Friday, April 26, 2013

Spielman One Move Away from the Perfect Draft

In the first round of the 2013 NFL draft, Minnesota Vikings' GM Rick Spielman selected players fitting three of the Vikings' four most immediate needs. That accomplishment already marks this year's draft a success, assuming, of course, that each of the selections pans out. If Spielman wants to truly elevate himself into the realm of the select few drafting GMs, he has but one more decision to make in this draft.

The final decision for Spielman would be to bundle as many of the Vikings' remaining picks as necessary to secure a trade with the Jaguars for the first pick in the second round of the draft. With that pick, the Vikings could and should take linebacker Manti Te'o. Selecting Te'o would resolve the Vikings' lone remaining glaring hole--at least to the extent that the team is willing to acknowledge glaring holes. After selecting Te'o, Spielman could sit back and consider whether he will allow two strong drafts and star veterans to be undermined by quarterback play in 2013.